Greenfield man charged after allegedly pointing gun at man, his 2-year-old granddaughter at Dollar General

 

A Greenfield man with a long history of felony convictions (and felony charges that were dropped), pleaded not guilty today to charges of making a terrorist threat, endangering the welfare of a child, harassment, armed criminal action and assault.

Todd Wesley Martin (DOB 1975) was arrested Wednesday at the Dollar Store in Greenfield where he allegedly threatened a Greenfield man and his 2-year-old granddaughter.

Dade County Sheriff's Office deputies were already on their way to the Dollar Store after receiving a call that a man was possibly breaking into vehicles on the parking lot. As they were en route, the store manager told them the man had pulled a gun and was pointing it at people.

From the probable cause statement:

. l made contact with A.B. who was standing in the parking lot. ln speaking with A.B., I noticed he was visibly upset. A.B. stated: He had gone to the Dollar Store with his granddaughter, E.J. {age 2}.

"When I first got there, I noticed a male outside the store. T.T., the manager, was already watching him. The male followed us inside the store. I got what I needed from the store and walked to the front to the cashier. J was only shopping around 5 minutes. The male was in front of the store by the cashier, stumbling around. 

"As I was paying for my stuff, I noticed he had a bulge in the front of his shirt/pants. I thought he had a gun in his waistband. I thought he was getting ready to rob the Dollar General store. I left my stuff that I was going to buy and got my granddaughter in my car. I was parked on the west side of the parking lot, the first regular parking spot past the handicap parking spot. 

"The {man} followed me out of the door, when I walked to my car. After l got my granddaughter inside the car, I heard something hit the ground. I looked and noticed it was a pistol laying on the ground. 

"The {man} picked up the pistol and pointed it at me and my granddaughter. l locked the door to the car, locking her inside the car. I was outside the car. I walked towards the back of my car. The man started walking towards me at the back of the car with the pistol pointed at me. I thought he was going to try to steal my car with my granddaughter inside it. 

"He started pointing the gun around the parking lot and then at me again. He started walking a little closer to my direction at the back of the car. He then pointed the gun towards the bank (west of the Dollar General Store). When he did that, I jumped inside my car and put it in reverse. 

When the man cleared the back of the car, I left the parking spot. I thought about running him over to protect myself and my granddaughter. I had to get my granddaughter out of harm's way because I feared for our lives. 

"As I was leaving the parking lot, a cop car was pulling into the parking lot. l {told} the cop about the ma with the gun at the front door. I want to press charges for everything I can." 

Ten people were inside the store at the time, according to the probable cause statement. When the manager saw what was going on in the parking lot, he shouted "Gun" and told those who were in the store to head to the back.

The statement indicates Martin recently had felony charges dismissed against him in Greene County, but has convictions for involuntary manslaughter in New Mexico, possessing and selling an illegal weapon and shooting from a motor vehicle in Dade County and driving while intoxicated in Christian County.

Martin is being held without bond. A bond reduction hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday in Dade County Circuit Court.